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According to the July issue of the American Dietetic Association, or ADA, following a vegetarian diet is an effective way of maintaining a healthy weight while also reducing the chances of developing a host of serious health issues.

“Well-constructed vegetarian diets may offer health benefits in terms of preventing and treating certain chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes for all age groups,” the authors wrote in their report. The researchers also found that following a mostly or fully vegetarian diet is an effective means of maintaining a healthy weight in both the short and long-run.

Despite popular beliefs, the report demonstrated that people who follow a vegetarian diet do not necessarily have to miss out on getting important vitamins and minerals. Even without having red or white meats in their diets, vegetarians can still get the nutrients they need by eating a variety of different fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains and products that have been fortified and enriched. Therefore, in order to enjoy the benefits of a vegetarian diet without dealing with the potential downfalls, it is important to follow a well-planned diet.

In order to enjoy the benefits of a vegetarian diet, the ADA recommends following these guidelines:

·    Include a variety of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fruits, seeds and nuts in the diet.
·    Include eggs and dairy if desired, but consume them in moderation and make certain the dairy products are low-fat.
·    Minimize consumption of foods that are high in fat, sugar and sodium. Consumption of foods that are high in trans-fatty acids and saturated fat should be particularly kept to a minimum.
·    Include a regular source of B-12 in the diet as well as a source of vitamin D if you have a limited amount of sunlight exposure

The ADA even supports raising children on a vegetarian diet, though you should consult with a nutritionist in order to make certain your child or children are getting enough of the vitamins an minerals they need to stay healthy.

Although there are undoubtedly many benefits to following a vegetarian diet, including staving off obesity, preventing heart disease and lowering your risk of certain types of cancers, a recent study found that people who follow vegetarian diets have slightly weaker bones when compared to those who consume meat.

The study, which was conducted in a joint effort between Australian and Vietnamese researchers, took a closer look at over 2,700 people. In the end, the researchers found that vegetarians had a bone density that was 5% less than that of those who eat meat. For vegans, the news was even worse, as their bone density was 6% weaker than those who eat meat. When it comes to ovolactovegarians, which are those who do not eat seafood or meat but who do include dairy and eggs in their diets, the bone density was almost the same as those who eat meat.

“The results suggest that vegetarian diets, particularly vegan diets, are associated with lower bone mineral density,” said lead researcher, Tuan Nguyen, in the report that he wrote for the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “But the magnitude of the association is clinically insignificant.”

Although the study determined that vegetarians and vegans have a lower bone density than meat eaters, the study did not look at whether or not the lower bone density puts vegans and vegetarians at a greater risk of experiencing bone fractures. According to Nguyen, this is certainly something that is worth exploring further.

“Given the rising number of vegetarians, roughly 5% in Western countries, and the widespread incidence of osteoporosis, the issue is worth resolving,” Nyguen continued.

Of course, the findings of this study are certainly no reason to give up the vegetarian lifestyle, as the benefits of following this type of diet far outweigh this possible downside.  What it does mean, however, is that you should make an effort to make certain to include foods that are high in calcium within your diet.  This way, you can enjoy the benefits of vegetarianism while also avoiding the possibility of experiencing a lower bone density.

British researchers have good news for those of us who have decided to stay away from meat:  vegetarians are 12% less likely to suffer from cancer than those who eat meat. In particular, the researchers found that vegetarians are far less likely to develop cancers that affect the blood than those who eat meat.

Experts have long known that people who eat a great deal of processed meat or red meat are more likely to develop stomach cancer, but the new study demonstrated that vegetarians suffer from lower rates of bladder cancer, stomach cancer and cancers of the blood.

After studying 61,000 people over a 12 year period, the most surprising finding was that vegetarians are 45% less likely to develop cancers of the blood, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma, than people who eat meat.

Throughout the study’s timeframe, 3,350 of the 61,000 participants developed cancer.  In the end, the researchers determined that the results were independent of other known cancer risk factors, such as obesity, alcohol intake and smoking.

Although the researchers have concluded that more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the reason for these differences, these results, which were published in the British Journal of Cancer, are just one more reason for vegetarians to celebrate embracing the vegetarian lifestyle!

According to the May issue of Diabetes Care, researchers have determined that following a vegetarian diet may help protect individuals from developing both obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The study, which was conducted by Serena Tonstad, MD, PhD, from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California and several colleagues, took a closer look at 22,434 men and 38,469 women between the years of 2002 and 2006.  The purpose of the study was to compare the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in those who follow a vegetarian diet compared to those who do not.  For those of us who follow a vegetarian diet, the results aren’t much of a surprise.

“The European Prospective Investigation found that BMI was highest in the meat eaters, lowest in vegans, and intermediate in fish lovers,” reported Dr. Tonstad.  “The protective effects of vegetarianism against overweight may be due to avoidance of major food groups, displacement of calories toward food groups that are more satisfying, or other factors.  Based on a review of experimental data, investigators have suggested that the portfolio of foods found in vegetarian diets may carry metabolic advantages for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.”

The researchers took a look at data such as self-reported lifestyle information, medical history and food intake.  They then nfound that vegans had the lowest BMI of just 23.6 kg/m2 . The more meat the individuals had in their diet, the greater their BMI became, with non-vegetarians having an average BMI of 28.8 kg/m2 . The researchers also found that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes steadily increased according to the amount of meat consumption.  2.9% of those following a vegan diet suffered from the disease, while 7.6% of non-vegetarians suffered from diabetes.

Adjustments were made to compensate for other potential causes of the differences, including ethnicity, age, education, sex, physical activity, income, sleep habits, television watching and alcohol use.

“The 5-unit BMI difference between vegans and nonvegetarians indicates a substantial potential of vegetarianism to protect against obesity,” the study authors write. “Increased conformity to vegetarian diets protected against risk of type 2 diabetes after lifestyle characteristics and BMI were taken into account. Pesco- and semi-vegetarian diets afforded intermediate protection.”

If you have seen some of the headlines surrounding actress Kirstie Alley recently, you may be feeling a bit offended.  The fact that the actress has struggled with her weight has never been a secret - particularly after she managed to lose 40 pounds as a Jenny Craig spokesperson only to put that and more back on later.  Now that Alley has resolved to shed the pounds once more, she has been quoted as saying that she packed the pounds back on because of a vegetarian diet.

“For seven months, I was a vegetarian, and I can’t tell you how much weight I gained being a vegetarian!” she is quoted as saying.

Unfortunately, much of Alley’s quote is being placed out of context and being used by anti-vegetarians in an attempt to prove that being a vegetarian is not a healthy choice.  But, to get the full picture, you need to read the rest of what Alley had to say.

“A vegetarian would probably be eating vegetables.  But, to me, being a vegetarian meant I’m going to eat enchiladas with no meat, and I’m going to eat lots of bread, lots of carbs,” she went on to say.

The reality is that you still have to make smart food choices even as a vegetarian if you hope to lose weight or to maintain your body weight.  By definition, you would be a vegetarian if you at nothing but cake and cookies, but this certainly would not be very healthy for your body.  Therefore, if you are hoping to follow a vegetarian diet in order to drop off extra pounds, be sure to keep the following guidelines in mind:

· Eat a variety of foods so you can get the proper balance of vitamins and minerals
· Go easy on cheese, as it is quite fattening
· Don’t snack on sugary foods between meals - if you get hungry between meals, choose healthy foods to satisfy your hunger
· Steer clear of unhealthy foods that are full of sugar and fat, yet have little nutritional value

By keeping these four basic tips in  mind, you won’t have to worry about experiencing a ballooning waistline in the way Alley did, but you can still enjoy all of the benefits associated with following a meatless diet.